The Warrenton Board of Aldermen unanimously denied a proposal for a second Dollar General to be built on the north side of the city.

The measures presented for a preliminary plat and site plan had been tabled at two previous board meetings, first at the behest of Elizabeth Lum of Amundsen Davis Law, speaking as legal counsel for Dollar General and second by Mayor Eric Schleuter following public comment at the July 2 meeting. 

There were several citizens who spoke at that July 2 meeting stating that they spoke for themselves and others who lived in their subdivisions when they voiced their disapproval of the proposed business. 

While many of them felt that it was problematic to place a business like Dollar General so close to a residential area they also took issue with the site plan, specifically where vehicles would be able to access the store parking lot. 

The site plan had an entrance located on Isabella Drive, but no entrance on Highway 47. Citizens worried about the increased traffic causing damage to a residential road that was not designed for commercial traffic. 

Dollar General had previously pledged not to use tractor-trailers to supply the store, instead opting for box trucks. However, citizens were not convinced.  

Alderman Brandon Lang said the possibility of semi trucks and other delivery trucks on Isabella Drive played a factor in his decision. 

“What we came to was we had some safety concerns with semi trucks using Isabella (Drive),” Land said. 

He also pointed out that since there is a new elementary school to be constructed in the area there were concerns with traffic on two already busy roads. 

“We don’t know what the traffic will look like once the school gets built,” Lang said. 

Speaking for Dollar General, Lum delivered a presentation at the July 2 meeting preceding the board’s decision. She said that Dollar General had already spoken to MoDOT and because of the proposed store’s location on Highway 47, curb cuts on the highway were a non-starter. 

She also implored the board to consider their decision, as she felt they did not have any legal recourse to deny their preliminary plat or their site plan. 

“This is an administrative matter, in which the only inquiry is whether or not the plat and the site plan satisfy the criteria set forth in the (city) code,” said Lum. 

For the time being, Dollar General will have to submit a revised site plan that is acceptable to residents and the board, or find another property to develop, if they wish to construct another store location in Warrenton. 

Lum said that Dollar General felt that their preliminary plat and site plan were unfairly denied and they may pursue the matter in other avenues. 

“I can say that they denied our claim without legal basis and our client has authorized us to pursue further action, whatever that may be,” Lum said.